PICKIN' OUT THE CULLS -- Just a Minute Radio for Friday 110819

Well, today’s JUST A MINUTE PROGRAM gives you a very brief overview – 60 seconds if you want to time it – of the Republican field of presidential primary candidates. There probably are one or two others I did not put in because they poll less than one percent of the voters… at least that was the ‘gate’ at the Straw Poll last week in Iowa.

 

There have been several very interesting round-ups covering all the candidates. I’ve not been that comprehensive because this isn’t, strictly speaking, a news show – it’s more in the nature of a commentary. The Iowa Republican caucus began around 1979 or 80… as a way to give some candidates exposure to the electorate – especially if the candidates were not Midwesterners and liable to be overlooked, especially if they were not national candidates. My information is it has pretty much increased since then. The straw poll was an early edition – most often used date is 1979 – although I think something along those lines was in existence in the early to mid 50’s.  My interest in primaries was peaked when Harry Truman captured the Democrat primary and the election in 1948 when he ran against popular NY Governor Thomas E. Dewey. Truman, the successor to the very popular FDR, had not had a smooth term and was widely predicted to lose to the popular governor of the Empire State.  Life Magazine ran a full front page picture of him on the campaign trail – in a boat as I remember. The press was all convinced Dewey would win.

 

Truman… from the ‘show me state of Missouri, was tenacious and resolved to take a train tour of the nation, make speeches and meet people. Roosevelt had used radio for his ‘Fireside chats’ as WWII ground on – to maintain the resolve of the people in America who had been attacked by the Germans, Japanese and Italians. Russia had been on the other side during the first world war… but things had changed and Joseph Stalin allied with Roosevelt, Churchill and Chiang Kai Shek as victory in Europe came closer  

 

Dewey was widely expected to win – so much so that Gallup and one or two other pollsters quit sampling several weeks before the actual election – and the Chicago Daily Tribune ran what has become the most famous headline in newspaper history – ‘DEWEY WINS’ – it’s a bold headline across the Trib’s first page which they ran early to get copies out on the remote rural RFD routes.  My how the apologies flew – even as a sub teen I took note. [My dad was a Republican and had voted for Dewey.  I think my mother did too…but in earlier votes of other elections (At that time in the South (Va.) the only essential elections were in the Democratic Primaries. It had been that way since the end of the War Between the States.)

 

All my uncles, aunts and cousins (those who were old enough to vote) voted in the Democrat primary… the other general election was just ‘pro-forma’.  The overwhelming vote in most elections was in the Democrat primary… but there were pockets of ‘contrarians’ in most of the southern states. Upstate SC was one… as was portions of NW Alabama and Georgia, E. Tenn… and parts of Florida. Those were farming areas which often grew something different than cotton… and were not likely to have owned slaves… or more accurately, their parents or other relatives were not likely to have had big enough farms to warrant ‘field hands.’

 

History is interesting to unravel – and see how we got here. I was pointing out to one of my grandsons, who doesn’t like classrooms … but enjoys history much more than I did. I was encouraging him to follow his ‘passions’ on that. Anyway to learn more in the way of history IS important… it generally means we don’t have to make the same mistakes others have made – if we pay attention. My Dad opposed Truman and voted for Wendell Wilkie as I recall.

 

I hope you can enjoy today’s program… and perhaps it will whet your appetite for yet more information. I’ve touted David McCullough’s accurate and prize winning historical books. The one about President Truman I think (even as a Republican) it’s very good.

 

Have a nice weekend.

 

Cordially, IN HIM

 

Barbara and Jack Buttram

 

“JUST A MINUTE”

PICKIN’ OUT THE CULLS    

          Just a Minute: Helping my Dad run a small apple orchard taught me something about pickin’ out the culls – discarding, or makin’ cider out imperfect apples. Today we’ll give you Just a minute’s worth.

          Michele Bachmann – bear in mind since the 1800’s no one has been elected president out of the lower house. – always a first time though… Obama is our first black president. Also straw vote winner usually does not win the Iowa caucus.

          Herman Cain – race is probably over. He said needed be in top 3 – he was 5^th.

          Chris Christie – People close to him say he won’t.  

          Jon Huntsman – He can continue to spend his own money – that’s it.

          Paul Ryan – despite recent stories – probably not.

          Sarah Palin -- 95% name recognition; 12% support – Gallup says not this time.

          Ron Paul – Won’t happen – 3^rd party got us Bill Clinton.

          Rick Perry – Press antagonism – big obstacle.

          Mitt Romney – Most experience – presently most likely.

            My qualification for this job?  I’m quite often wrong.  See you next week.

          <>I’m Jack Buttram.          (END)

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